Tivoli Storage Manager server version 6.3.3 users may not be able to restore data from tape volumes or append data to existing tape volumes

LogicalBlockProtection; LBP

Flash (Alert)

Abstract

The logical block protection attribute might be incorrectly set to "yes" for some tape volumes. As a result, users who upgrade the Tivoli Storage Manager server to version 6.3.3 might not be able to restore data or append data to existing tape volumes. Restore operations might fail with error message ANR1330E . Backup operations might fail with error message ANR0530W.

Content

PROBLEM SUMMARY:

IBM Tivoli Storage Manager server versions 6.2.4, 6.2.5, 6.3.0, 6.3.1, and 6.3.2 incorrectly set the logical block protection attribute for tape volumes. As a result, when users upgrade Tivoli Storage Manager server to version 6.3.3, they might not be able to append to tape or restore data if the attribute is incorrectly set to "yes" for the volume.

The symptoms surface when you upgrade Tivoli Storage Manager server to version 6.3.3.

For Oracle StorageTek T10000C devices

If the volume was created with Tivoli Storage Manager server versions 6.2.4, 6.2.5, 6.3.0, 6.3.1, or 6.3.2, and the logical block protection attribute for the volume is incorrectly set to "yes," Tivoli Storage Manager version 6.3.3 continues to write data to the volume with logical block protection. You will not encounter an error when appending data to this volume. The volume ends up with mixed data. Data at the beginning of the tape that was written with a Tivoli Storage Manager server version prior to version 6.3.3 does not have logical block protection. Data that was appended to the volume later with Tivoli Storage Manager server version 6.3.3 has logical block protection. You might encounter an error when restoring data that was written to the tape without logical block protection.

If the volume was created with Tivoli Storage Manager server versions 6.2.4, 6.2.5, 6.3.0, 6.3.1, or 6.3.2, you might not be able to restore data with Tivoli Storage Manager version 6.3.3 if the logical block protection attribute is incorrectly set to "yes" for the volume. You might encounter an error similar to the following when restoring data:

For devices that are controlled by the Tivoli Storage Manager device driver and do not have logical block protection support, if the logical block protection attribute of the volume is set to "yes," you might encounter the following error when backing up data to the volume:

Apply Tivoli Storage Manager server version 6.3.3.100. If you still encounter the symptoms described in the Symptoms section above, follow the action described in the Circumvention section for each tape volume that has the problem.

Once the fix for APAR IC90153 is available and you have applied the fix, complete the following steps for Oracle T10000C drives and HP Ultrium 6 drive.

For users with Oracle T10000C drives

Complete the following steps if you have never enabled logical block protection for Oracle T10000C drives:

1. Issue the following SQL statement to obtain a list of volumes that have the logical block protection attribute set to "yes":

select volume_name, block_protect from volumes where block_protect='Yes' and devclass_name='
xxx'

where xxx is the device class name

2. Issue the MOVE DATA command to move data from the affected volume to another available volume in the same storage pool.

Complete the following steps if you enabled logical block protection for Oracle T10000C drives:

1. Issue the following SQL statement to obtain a list of volumes that have the logical block protection attribute set to "yes:

select volume_name, block_protect from volumes where block_protect='Yes' and devclass_name='
xxx'

where xxx is the device class name

2. Issue the following SQL statement to look at the volume history of each volume to see when the volume was created. If the volume was created after you installed Tivoli Storage Manager server version 6.3.3, the volume is not affected.

select * from volhistory where volume_name='xxxxxxxx' and type='STGNEW'

where xxxxxxxx is the volume name

3. For the affected volumes, update the LBProtect parameter of the device class to WRITEOnly or No, and issue the MOVE DATA command to move data from the affected volume to another available volume in the same storage pool.

For users with HP Ultrium 6 drives

Complete the following steps after applying the fix for APAR IC90153:

1. Issue the following SQL statement to obtain a list of volumes that have the logical block protection attribute set to "yes":

select volume_name, block_protect from volumes where block_protect='Yes' and devclass_name='
xxx'

where xxx is the device class name

2. Issue the MOVE DATA command to move data from the affected volume to another available volume in the same storage pool.

PROBLEM RESOLUTION:

With the fix for APAR IC90153, Tivoli Storage Manager server automatically corrects the logical block protection attribute for all volumes that are not supported with logical block protection.

CIRCUMVENTION:

If unable to restore data, users can move data from an affected volume to another volume in the same storage pool.

If unable to append data to a volume, mark the volume read-only and the Tivoli Storage Manager server will select a new scratch volume for writing.